Tractor Pulls

You can feel it. Just the roar and the thunder in the dirt. It's the horsepower. We do this for fun. This is our hobby.

[Paul Yeager] Welcome to the 2023 Truck and Tractor Pulls at the Iowa State Fair. Hello everybody. I'm Paul Yeager. We'll get to highlights of a few classes in a moment but first a few words from the executive vice president of the event. 

[Dave Nelson] We're in our third year of being back from the original Grandstand being remodeled. The Elwell Family Park got put together three years ago, so we're now in year number three of the Truck and Tractor Pull and being here back at the state fair. As an Iowa farm kid, as an Iowa farm boy, that means so much. So we're excited to be back here. The other thing that's very neat about this year is they brought in all new dirt to put in front of the Elwell Park three years ago, 24 inches deep, 100 feet wide track, 400 feet long, is how much new dirt they brought in. A  mix of loam, sand, clay of what we asked them to do in front for a tractor pull track. It's taken about, we knew this, it took about three years for that mother nature, freezing thaw, cover crops, where we have an amazing track now. So it's great. It creates a consistent track. The dirt holds together but not too much to where it creates great traction for both the competitive tractor or truck, but also for the sled to work. As that weight comes up and puts more weight on that track creating friction, that sled works so much better. If you have consistent dirt, not a wet hole or a soft spot or a loose spot, it's all consistent throughout the whole width the whole length of the track. So it creates that much better of a performance an entertainment piece for the crowd and for the competitor. He's got a better shot of having a good pass. Whether he's the first one in the class or the last one in the class. The dirt is remaining consistent. It's not about speed like a race. It's about distance pulled at a tractor pull.

[Paul] Now let's get to that high octane action on that renowned soil. We begin in the modified class. Craig Ulmer from Larchwood, Iowa. He's driving Sweet Pain to a 3rd place finish with a pull of 313.33'. This is Wayne Longnecker. He's driving River Rat. He is out of Cambridge. He is rolling down that river. Down the track. 2nd place pull at 323.32'. Let's try to hang on with Twisted Whip. Donald Nelson out of Cat Spring, Texas. He meows his way down that course. Look at him go. Still hammering. 354.83', 1st place.

On to modifieds. Let's get to another class. This is diesel. This is Brad Hammer. He's conducting the Symphony of Destruction. He's over from Belvidere, Illinois for a 321.11' pull. Good enough for 3rd place. Now Ryan Stahl. He's all Spooled Up. From Claremont, Missouri. Let's see how much he can unravel, uncoil. He's rocking. He's rolling. He's pulling all the way to 2nd place at 327.48'. And now Megatron. Jason Wayman. Novinger, Missouri. More than meets the eye in this truck. He transforms for a 1st place 336.89' pull. 

And now we move to Super Farm Class. Allen Andrews. The Dakota Deere. Out of Beresford, South Dakota. He gets behind that John Deere. That green goes 303.06'. Now it's Chad Andrews also out of Beresford, South Dakota. He's riding the Brule Buck. Also the John Deere. Look at him go. 306.30'. Oh that's good enough for 2nd place. Now Barry Spaans. Double Trouble Unleashed. Out of Rock Valley. Barry Spaans. Barry responds with a huge pull 306.94'. That is your blue ribbon pull. That's all we have time for this year. Be sure to check out all the pull classes in person at next year's fair and tune in to Iowa PBS for select highlights.

(Music) (Engines roaring)